Saving newspaper clippings has probably, for the most part, become a thing of the past. The other day, I got some in the mail. My cousin, Lav sent me some old clippings her mother, Ella Sanderson Leckey had saved. They were tucked into an old Sanderson’s Store envelope.
The first clipping I saw was a picture of Grandpa Sanderson and his friend, Slim Leitze proudly holding a stringer of fish. This brought back so many stories of Grandpa’s fishing outings. I believe it was Slim who was with Grandpa the time the little aluminum boat got high centered at a dam where they were fishing. Grandpa had tall waders and hopped out to push the boat off the high spot. He slipped and fell and came home full of mud. I was pretty little and at his house that day. I saw him full of mud from head to toe and it scared me. I must have heard him say he thought he was going to drown because I became terrified of those waders. He had them in the front porch and I wouldn’t go into the house that way. I had to run around and go in the back door.
I wish I had a dollar for every fish Grandpa caught. I would be filthy rich. He filled up all the relatives freezers and when we couldn’t eat them fast enough, he started stocking other dams with his almost daily catch. I went on several of those outings with him. This was after Cousins Terry and Jeff H, and my brother Billy went off to college. They were his favorite fishing buddies. The Haverberg cousins got treated to outings when they were visiting from Michigan.
There were other clippings in the little envelope. One is a picture of the tear down of Sanderson’s Store in 1970. That one made me sad. There’s a clipping of Grandpa and two others when the South Dakota Parks Association was organized.
Aunt Ella also included a clipping of the football team when cousin, Terry Sanderson was in high school.
Who would have thought that I would be writing a blog about these jewels my Aunt saved all those years ago.
Those 70ish Girls 
The pictures of the tearing down of Sanderson’s store made me sad as well. Must admit a few teartracks are still damp on my cheeks. That was the highlight of many days, buying penny candies–sorting out my favorites from the big open box they had next to the cash register. How lucky we are to have memories of that wonderful old-fashioned grocery and general store. And, always a smile from Tet or Jeff or your Grandpa. I think I’ve written a few blogs and even a poem about it which I’ll try to track down if you haven’t seen them. I also miss your Murdo posts. I think you should collect them into a book, Mary.
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Can’t think of a member of your extended family that I don’t have fond memories of.
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Thank you for saying that, Judy. I can’t think of a nicer compliment.
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I put all of the Murdo stories in a book several years ago. It’s called Murdo Girl Memories. It’s on Amazon.
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I put all of the Murdo stories into a book several years ago. It’s called Murdo Girl Memories and it’s available on Amazon.
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Good… I will look it up.
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I have never seen the photos of Sanderson’s store when it was demolished. The store was so much a part of Main Street for many years. The candy stop for all the kids after school and even on Saturday night before the movie. West Central Electric Coop has their office in that location presently.
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The Jones County Bank was supposed to build there but they never did. Sanderson’s Store was iconic.
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Cuz: You’re so right! These clippings are priceless to we family members and that envelope is true history. Sad beyond belief when the store was demolished. Life goes on but we have our wonderful memories. Thanks, MG!
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Yes, it must have made you sad, too to see pictures of the store and rooms above being torn down.
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